Questions of Value

By: Patrick Grim, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Patrick Grim

We live in a world seemingly dedicated to questions of fact and finance. What should I invest in? What school district is the house in? But the fundamental questions of our lives are actually questions of value: What makes life worth living? Are there values that transcend cultural differences? Is all value subjective?

If you've ever felt the tug of such questions - or if you just want to fine-tune your ability to see how deeper questions of ethics and values apply to the choices that make up our lives - these 24 lectures bring to life the insights of thinkers and artists who have grappled with these questions for thousands of years.

Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." To examine these questions, Professor Grim casts a wide net, drawing from history, theoretical economics, game theory, theoretical biology, and sociobiology - with a few forays into physics, anthropology, and psychology.

But it isn't only scientists and historians who ask us to consider our values. Writers as varied as Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ursula Le Guin, Mark Twain, Anne Rice, and Jorge Luis Borges have also delved into the meaning of life and the values we live by.

In exploring the course's varied sources, Professor Grim takes great care to introduce each concept carefully so that each new concept builds on the last. His presentation - even of the most nuanced material - is consistently clear, even to those with no background in philosophy.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2005 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2005 The Great Courses

Traveling within

It has been a deep and rewarding symbolic human experience. Evolving historical record.
Thank you.

Among the best

This is a superb overview of fundamental issues in ethics. Clear, surprisingly comprehensive and accessible. Highly recommended.

Thoughtful

An excellent examination into questions of value. The lecturer gave clear arguments that spawned critical thinking. I will come back to it as I delve deeper into topics discussed as the bibliography is first rate and the nuggets presented are concise and digestible.

Captivating

Excellent speaker, really interesting material. Addresses various means of attempting to determine what is right and good that have emerged throughout the centuries and their implications with regard to the pursuit of meaning, justice and happiness. Worth listening to more than once!

Gets to the heart of Value

Covers a wide range of value artifacts and is foundational to relationship discourse. A good companion book for ethics.